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Phoenixgarde
Phoenixgarde '''(also referred to as the '''Kingdom of Phoenixgarde, '''the '''Empire of Phoenix '''or '''Phoenix) is a human nation and kingdom founded by soldiers of the recently-dissolved Anthromor Empire after the confederacy collapsed in -1,350. The intention of its people is to one day, restore the glory of the former empire, hence its name. History Indigenous human soldiers, dismayed by the dissolution of Anthromor in the millenia following the Rune Revolution, gathered together around the southeast of the continent of Dinith and founded Phoenixgarde on the ruins of the old empire's largest settlement, Phoenix. No longer the centre of human civilisation after -1,345, the people of Phoenixgarde instead tended their efforts towards rebuilding their old kingdom. Ruled by House Amaurri, descendants of the ancient Anthori barbarians who founded the empire, they began a programme of rapid rebuilding of infrastructure in the settlement. Initially, the kingdom struggled with its supply-side policies; the effects were not felt until later down the line, leading to discontent among the peasantry. This led to a period in Phoenixgarde's history known as the 'Time of Troubles', which started with a growing feeling of disillusionment among the serfs around -1,340 and came to a head with the Bread War in -1,325. Bread War (c.-1,325) The Time of Troubles was already a pressing period of House Amaurri. King Randal himself appeared to be overwhelmed by the problems facing his kingdom: the yet-primitive infrastructure, the worsening living standards of the majority of the population, the army (which was still weak by human standards) and squabbles among the nobility over who wielding most influence over a king who could not seem to control his people. Then, just as things could not seem to get any worse, a horrible famine struck Phoenixgarde. Lasting between December -1,327 and August -1,326, the famine destroyed the little harvest the peasant labourers had worked to produce, and in just 8 months, over 20,000 people had fallen victim to the famine. A population already discontent, they were infuriated by the Court's lack of action, and thus, the Bread War was declared in January -1,325. Rallying his supporters to Batton Mills, Ursus Gartside led an army of yeomen to Phoenix to petition the king. They were shot down by the Royal Guard, but by evening, found themselves overwhelmed. They were then informed that King Randal was to meet them earlier the next day, which temporarily dispersed the protests - only for the Royal Herald to announce that in fact, the King had taken ill, and would not be seeing the peasants. This reignited the flames of rebellion, and in summer -1,325, armed uprisings took place across the embattled kingdom as the scattered army struggled to cover the scope of the rebellions. Aftermath of Bread War Things seemd at breaking point, and the rebels, due to sheer numbers, seemed set for victory. However, a surprise announcement from Court came in July -1,325: Randal had died from his undisclosed illness at the age of 42, and his son's youth prevented him from ascending to the throne. Thus, Lord Harrington - captain of the Royal Guard - ascended to the throne, and with his takeover of Phoenixgarde, the embattled kingdom entered 23 years of military rule. Harrington instantly agreed to meet the protestors, and his discussions with Gartside's supporters were successful - more immediate relief for the gentry was necessary. Harrington thus use the power of the state to forcibly confiscate assets of other noble families, such as the Brownings, Claridges and Nortons - and auction off these assets to raise funds for social programmes aimed at helping the poor. This ameliorated the effects of both the famine of -1,327 and the Bread War. By the late -1,300s, Harrington's support began to wane as King Randal's son, Travis, was now 30 and effectively a king-in-waiting. Rather than hang on longer, Harrington resigned in -1,302, and handed the reigns back to House Amaurri. As he had hoped, the wise Travis continued the social reforms made by Harrington, making Phoenixgarde a powerful symbol of equality among the other human kingdoms. Decline and First Earth War Phoenixgarde's success eventually gave rise to a prevailing sentiment among the people of the kingdom. Strongly independent, the government became overconfident, becoming closed off from the other nations over the course of the generations. During the First Earth War, it was thus completely overrun and taken over by orcs of the Prarvian Expedition, a ferocious, demon-enhanced army from the harsh world of Prarvis. Led by Warlord Deadeye on the battlefront and archwarlock Vez'nan from behind the scenes, the orcs quickly managed to swarm Phoenixgarde Keep and destroy the capital city, before splitting off their forces to occupy the capital. During the terrible fighting, Ingmar Amaurri - the King of Phoenixgarde - was left mortally wounded after an assassin severed one of his nerves. His last wish before death would be to see his people saved from whatever had taken his life. In line with this, Kaiden Spalding - the knight-commander of Avantia - took on board Phoenixgarde refugees to Laudrin. The Phoenixgarde denizens under Spalding were pressed, but not crushed. After landing in Laudrin, Spalding negotiated the rehousing of several thousand refugees, women and children first, many of whom were received by the Order of the Holy Light's ecclesiastical wing - the Church of the Holy Light. The Church bought properties from nobles along the fortified outer-circle of the capital city, turning them into affluent villages, and Archbishop Laufer also allowed clerists of each Brotherhood to open their temples to the homeless. Indira Lightshield was the first; she opened the Northshire Monastery in late 5 AGY, and other High Clerists soon followed. Second Earth War When the Princess of Grevalon, the newly-crowned Silana Atherton, requested an audience with the leaders of five other nations, the people of the Eastern Kingdoms were not necessarily prepared to receive her. There was great doubt as to what a 21-year-old girl could bring to the table with regards to international diplomacy. Though Spalding gave her his support, she was initially derided after calling for an alliance of nations to push out the orcs, with Belvazard Coldstream laughing her out of the conference room. However, after being rebuked by High Clerist Lightshield, she returned to the floor. After a scathing speech in which she attacked the lack of unity among a once-united people, the League of Highlaw was founded and its laws codified there and then. Two years later, after months of mobilisation, the Second Earth War kicked off. First, the alliance defeated the orcs in Kha'Zad using powerful war golems to destroy their naval power. Then High Clerist Lightshield and her fellow spirituals won a heroic victory against War Commander Jalos and his orcish invaders in Laudrin proper, during the failed but daring northern assault around 9 AGY. Admiral Holt of Midrule destroyed the orcish reserve fleet for good in Laudrin proper the next year, crippling the Expedition. A string of defeats leading to Deadeye's death at the Genesis Portal in 11 AGY ended the war, sending the orcs still lucky enough to have their lives howling into a rapidly sealing portal. Phoenixgarde was liberated, but without a ruler. Although initially skeptical of his ability to rule rather than command, the noble elite convinced Sir Spalding to stay on as regent lord of the shattered kingdom while Ingmar's son grew up in his place. Realising the monumental task ahead of him with regards to fixing the land, Spalding summoned the ruling nobles to an emergency discussion, and, under further consultation, did they same with the other national leaders - King Hermenion of Forgil, King Wenthelen of Avantia, King Roulet of Laudrin, Magnus Nivus of Grevalon, Lord Admiral Oriholt of Midrule and Chieftain Niall of human-occupied Sherwood, representing the other 11 clans. There, they decided to turn the League of Highlaw into a permanent organisation, instead known as the Eastern Union, in order to strengthen human nations through unity following the two deadly wars. Spalding, taking on risk, negotiated a series of loans from Laudrin and the Order of the Light to help rebuild the nation. Trivia *Phoenixgarde is analogous to Stromgarde from ''Warcraft, ''as denizens of the old empire refounded it. **Despite being less sympathetic to arcane magic, the people of Phoenixgarde have no respect for the Nightwatch or their raids. *Harrington's confiscation of private property for social use is a reference to eminent domain. Category:Aeon of the Champion articles Category:Aeon of the Champion locations Category:Kingdoms Category:Locations Category:Smurf Manian's articles Category:Countries